Cork, Donegal, and Galway fail to meet sewage treatment standards

Cork, Donegal, and Galway failed to meet adequate sewage treatment facilities standards in 2014, according to a report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA’s Urban Waste Water Treatment Report for 2014 identified 45 urban areas where untreated sewage is discharged, over half of which were in the three counties.

And the report highlighted seven bathing locations with poor statuses that are linked with wastewater discharges. These are the Front Strand Beach, Youghal Co, Cork; Rush South Beach in Fingal, Dublin; Ballyloughane Beach and Clifden beaches in Galway; Ardmore Beach in Co Waterford; Lilliput Adventure Centre at Lough Ennel, Co Westmeath; and Duncannon Beach, Co Wexford.

Gerard O’Leary, director of the EPA’s office of environmental enforcement said that a U-turn in the cuts to spending on wastewater treatment is needed in Cork, Donegal, and Galway.

“Sewage discharges continue to impact on our environment with counties Cork, Donegal and Galway the worst affected areas. A reversal of the decline in capital expenditure in recent years is needed to eliminate the discharge of raw sewage from our environment and allow Ireland to meet EU standards,” he said.

David Flynn, programme manager of the EPA’s office of environmental enforcement, noted that 21% of incidents at wastewater plants were attributed to issues surrounding operation and maintenance.

“As well as investing in capital works, the operation and management of existing waste water plants needs to improve,” Mr Flynn said.

“Audits of sewage plants by the EPA had found in cases inadequate maintenance and operation of plant and equipment.

“One fifth of all pollution incidents at sewage plants could be prevented by better management and operation of treatment plants.”